Treatment of cinematographic films



l 570,809 Jan' 26 1926' w. a. wr-:scoT'r 1 TREATMENT or' GINEMATOGRAPHIG Emis originar Filed Deo'. v. 1917 s sheets-sheet 1 Zigi,

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Jan. 26 1926.

W. B. WESCOTT TREATMENT OF CINEMATOGRAPHIC FILMS Original Filed DBC. '7, 1917 5 Sheets-Sheetv 2 worn/6,95'.

Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM BURTON WESCOTT, OF WELLESLEY. MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNMENTS, T0 .TECHNICOLOB MOTION PICTURE CORPORATION, Ol' BOSTON,'

PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE:

TREATMENT OF CINEMATOGBAPHIC FILMS.

Original application led December 7,

To all lwimmz't may eminem.: I

Be it known that I. WILLIAM BUn'uiN llnsco'i'r, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of VVelleSley, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Treatment of Cinematographic Films, of which the following. is a specification.

This invention relates Vto a photographic method and apparatus and more particularly to a method and apparatus for dyeing, or otherwise treating motion picture films or other strips of photographic material.

This application is a division of my prior application Serial No. 205,999, filed December 7 1917, which matured into Patent No. 1,444.818, dated February 13, 1923.

Heretoforeit has been the common practice in developing, fixing or otherwise treating motion picture films to employ pans and racks, the films being suspended upon the racks and (lipped into the photographic solutions. This method is exceedingly awkward and unsatisfactory in treating long vlengths of films, and it has long been recognized that some means for conveniently and rapidly treating films would greatly facilitate the manufacture and treatment of films.'

otherI solutions have been proposed, but for 'i various reasons they have not been practical and they have therefore not come into commercial use.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a method and means for continuously treating any desired length of film or other strip of photographic material, to render the treatment rapid and accurate and so to manipulate the film that it is in no wise injured or mutilated in the various stages of the treatment. "Another object of the invention isY so to handle the -film throughout the processes of treatment that the emulsion side of the film will not come into contact with the parts of the apparatus along which it moves. A stilljfurther object of the invention is to provide a method and means for sensitizing a-film afterthe- 1917,' Serial No. 205,999. Divided and this application led April 25, 1922. Serial N0. 556,535.

emulsion has been applied to the celluloid or other support whereby the action of the dye throughout the entire length of a film may be made more uniform whereby a relatively small quantity of dye solution is require for completely covering and treating a film, and whereby the degree of the action of the dye upon the film may be'readily and accurately controlled.

In the accompanying drawings, i Figure 1 is a plan view of the dyeing apparatus;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of' the dyeing apparatus taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; f i

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the dyeing apparatus taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Figure lis a horizontal section of a portion of the dyeing machine taken on line 4--4 of Figs. 3 and 5;

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section of the same portion of the dyeing machine taken on line 5 5 of Figs. 3 and 4;

Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal central section of one of the lower pulley casings of the. dyeing machine taken on line 6-6 of Fig.- 7; Y

Figure 7 is a horizontal section through one ofthe lower pulley casings taken on line 7-.7 of Figs. 3 and 6;

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view of four adjacent tubes of the dyeing apparatus, the lower tubes being sectioned on line 'a-a of Fig. 5, the upper right-hand tube being sectioned on line o-c of Fig. 3, and the u per left-hand tube being sectioned on line of Fig. 3; and l Figure 9 is a vertical transverse section of the dyeing apparatus taken on line 9-9 of Figs. 1, 3 and 8, sections of the tubes heing broken away.,

The particular embodiment 'of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration is constructed as follows A tank H of suitable'water-tight construction is provided to house the apparatus,t`ne tank being open at its top and preferably being provided with rollers 201 adapted to roll on tracks so that the apparatus may moved. Within the 'bottom by means of flat bars 203 and 204.

The pairs of angle irons 202 on each side of the frame are connected together at the bottom and central portion of the tank by means of stifl'ening bars 207 and 208. The side pairs of angle irons are also preferably connected together by diagonal braces 200, which cross at the central stiiening bars 208 and which are preferably connected' to the bars 208. vExtending between the top end bars 203 `is a shaft 211 to whicli is keyed a plurality of pulle s 212, as shown in Fi s. 4 and 5, the pu eys 212 being complete y encased in casings 213. Each of the cas ings 213 is preferably formed in upper and lower parts 214 and 216, connected together by screws 217 or other suitable means. In order to render the casings 213 liquid-tight, stuiiing boxes are preferably provided around the shafts at each end of each casing, each of the stuiling boxes comprising a cup shaped member 218 (Fig. 4) of rectangular cross-section adapted to lit into rctangular openings in the ends of tli'e'pulley. casings'and to be secured to the pulley casings by means lof screws 221. At the bottom of the cup shaped members, openings for the shaft 211 are provided, and threaded into the circular interior of the cup members 218 are annular nuts 222, suitable packing material 223 being provided in the space between the cup members 218, the annular members 222 and the shaft 211. At the bottom of each of the casings 213 on either side are provided 4depending lugs 224, these lugs having` openings thereinadapted to fit over a rod 226, the rod being mounted at its opposite ends in the top end bars 203.

4At the bottom of the tank H are mounted a plurality of pulley casings 227, each casing contaming a pulley 228. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the pulley casings 227 comprise up er and lower portions connected together y screws 229, and at the top of the upper portions are provided lugs 231 "having openings 232 therein adapted to fit over a rod 233, the rod 233 bein'glmounted at its opposite ends in the lower end bars 204. The lugs 231 are obli uely disposed on the casing 227 so that wflien supported on the rod 233 the pulleys are disposed in vertical planes orientated substantially 45 with respect to the transverse vertical planes of the upper pulleys 212. Spacing sleeves 234 may be provided between the lugs 231 in order suitably to space the casings 227 apart. The pulleys 228 are mounted in the casings 227 to rotate freely about the shafts 236.

The upper pulley casings 213 are provided with elongated openings 237 in their lower Walls, the elongated openings being somewhat greater in length than the width of the pulleys 212 and being in vertical alinement with the opposite sides of the pulleys. The lower casings 227 are provided with similar elongated openings 238 in their upperwalls, the openings 238 likewise being in vertical alinement with the opposite sides of the pulleys 228 contained within the cas- 1n s 22 Extending between the openings 23 in the upper casings and the openings 238 in the lower casings are fiattened tubes 239, the tubes being of the same cross-sectional contour as the vopenings 237 and 238 and being brazed or'otherwise tightly se cured within theopenings 237 and 238 at their opposite ends. The pulleys at the bot tom of tank H are disposed with relation at the top of the tank substantially the same as in the 'developing apparatus; that is,

one side of each of the lowerpulleys is in vertical alinexnent with one side of an upper pulley, while the other side of each of the lower pulleys is in alinement with an adjacent upper pulley. lIt will therefore be obviousA that a film fed onto the left-hand lower pulley will travel in loops around the upper and lower pulleys through the upper A manner illustrated in detail in Figs. 8 and 9. As shown at 241 in Fig. 8, the tubes 239,`

as they `emerge from the upper casings 213 are disposed longitudinally of the tank H whereas, as indicated at 242, Athe tubes are orientated substantially 45 with respect to the vertical transverse plaes as they enter the lower casings 227. The tubes are therefore twisted, formlyl throu out their length, so as to enter the openings in the upper and lower casings substantially perpendicularly. As shown at 243 -in Fig. 8, the central portions of the tubes are orientated substantially plreferably substantially uni g 221/2o with respect tothe vertical transverseA planes. In addition to the twist in the tubes,-

an outward bow or curvature is provided in each tube so that the film f, if it engages theu tubes at all, will engage the inner sides of the tubes withits ce luloid side and so that the outer emulsion side of the lilm will never engage/.the tubes. In order rigidly to maintain the tubes 239 in the described position throughout their central portions, a hori zontal plate 244, is disposed therebetween, the plate being mounted at its opposite ends in frame members 246and being notched at its sides as indicated at 247 in FigfS to receivethe tubes .239. The QQGhQ 247 are pulley 266 which is also in the pulley 256.

preferably-Y provided by striking up triangular portions 248 from the sides of the late. The tubes 239 may, if desired, be razed or otherwise secured to the de ending ribs 248 along which they exten The interior surface of the tubes 239, casing 213, and casings 227 may if desired be coated on their inner surfaces with paraffin, glass, celluloid, or other substance which is unaHected by the chemical solutions employed in the machine', thereby to avoid any action of the solutions upon the tubes and casings which might'be injurious either to the machine or the solution. 'When the casings are so coated they may be made of iron or tin or other suitable metal. -Moreover, I- .also contemplate constructing the Itubes and casingS of hard.- rubber or other matter which is unaffected by the chemical solution and which does not all'ect the chemical solutions.

'In order-"to feed the film to` and from the above described train of pulleys and tubes, the following mechanism is preferably provided: The tube 240 at the .extreme lefthand endof the tank H (Fig. 3) -is connected at its upper end to aacasing 251, the casing 251 being mounted on the frame by means of a bracket 252 and havinga slot 253 in its upper wall. On the upper portion 254 of the framework Fig. 3 is mounted a pulley 256 whose left-hand face is in alinement with the slot opening 253 in the casing .251. At the upper right-hand corner of the framework is mounted a casing 257 by means of a member 258 extending between the end uprights 202. The casing 257 s.

preferabl comprised of an upper andI lower ortion tting tightly together along the liorizontal plane 259. Within the caslng is mounted a pulley 261 whose rear side is in alinement with an opening in the bottom of the casing which receives the upper end of the extreme righthand end tube 262 3). In the forward side ofthe upper portion of the casing 257 is provided an opemng 263, and outside of the casing in alineinent with this opening is provided a pulley 264. Below and in alinement with ulley 264 is a inement with The reel offilm. which is to=be supplied to v the machineis mounted in a magazine 267,

the magazine 267 being mounted on the frame member 254 by means of a bracket 268, and an arm 269 being pivotally mounted on bracket 268 to maintain the reel withfeed reel througha suitable friction sprocket in the magazine.- The film ffleads from the device 271 and thence to the pulley 256. A film may if desired be threaded through the tubes by means ofaleade'r film or any other suitable manner, but 'an endless belt is preferably providedto draw the film through the apparatus. The belt,`which i s desig- -through an outlet p -the left-hand side o nated bv in the figures, passes over,` the pul- 5 ley 256, downwardly through Icasing 251,

left-hand end tube 240, through the series of lower casin'gs 227, tubes 239 and upper casings 213, upwardly through the right-hand end tube 262, over the pulley 261 in casing' 4257, out from casing 257 through opening 263, downwardly over pulley 264, around pulley 266, and thence to pulley 256. The belt is preferablyA p rovided with a central row of openings 272 and the forwardcnd of the lihn is preferably secured to the belt by.

means of a clip.'273 adapted to extend through an opening in the belt and an open- Thc belt 1sv ing iu the end of thc film. preferably composed of flexible film-like material and the openings 272 are preferably reinforced with eyelets. The dye solution (or other film-treating fluid) is fed-into the series of tubes 239 and upper and lower casin'gs through aninlet 274 disposed atl the top of the casing 257 and iswithdrawn 1 e.27 6 extending from fp the casin 251.

In accordance with one of t e principal objects of the 'present invention the dye solution is continuously `fed through the series of tubes in a. direction opposite to the direction of feed of the film2 the film enterwhichth'e film emerges, and in the normal operation of the system the dye solution does notri'se in the right-hand tube 262 to aV level much above the outlet opening 276.

The temperature of the dye solutionduring its passage through the series of tubes may `be maintained constant by' filling the tank H lll() with a temperature controlling medium such as water. a drain 277 being provided at the left-handrcorner ofthe tank for withdraw'- ing the temperature controlling liquid from the tank.

From the above .description it-will be apparent that my improved apparatus affords a number ofuniqe advantages. It may be lll employed; either for dyeing, or otherwise treating a film or other photographicrstrip in an expeditious'imann'erv and in such a vay that the treatment may be very Aaccurately controlled. Another` important feature of .the invention is the' arrangement whereby the emulsion sidevof the film is maintained out ofconta'ct with allportions of the apparatus. A By virtue ofthe oblique dispositionl to the level of the opening 263 through of the pulleys at the bottom of the respective loops the film travelsv smoothly over the pulleys without tending to become buckled or distorted and without tending to run of 5 of the pulleys.` The endlessbelt arrangement'relieves the tension oni'tlie film and affords an exceedingly convenient method `of drawing the film through the apparatus.

A cardinal feature of the invention resides in the method of dyeing or sensitizing the film wherein a thin stream of sensitizing solution is caused to fio@ along the film. 'When a film is treated in a sensitizing solution the dye ingredient of this solution 1s l5 rapidly absorbed by the film emulsion and the dye solution rapidly becomes weaker.

' In dipping films into a tank of dye solution it is impossible to maintain the dye solution at a constant degree of concentration. In my improved method rand apparatus a fresh dye is continuously being supplied to the dye' compartment and by maintaining the rate of fiow of the dye solution constant relatively to the film the action of the dye solution on all parts of the filmis the same. Owing to the small dimensions of the tubular channel for the dye solution, a minimum amount of dye is required and owing to the unique construction ofnthe elongate channel the emulsion side of the (film is maintained out of contact with the apparatus throughout its entire course through the tubular channel. i

Another unique feature of my preferred dyeing method and apparatus conslsts in the circulation of the dyeingl solution in a' direction opposite to the motion of the film. If the film entered the ,tubular dye channel at the same end as the dye solution it would be 40, rapidly affected until the surface became y vhoroughly sensitized and then action would 'fyi e very slowl whereas with the film enterf' ing` at one end of the channel and 'the' dye solution entering" at the other end the fresh '45 film first comes in contact with the thin fstream of dye solution which is somewhat weakened by -its vaction upon the film throughout the entire length of the channel and therefore does'not act upon the fresh film' very rapidly. As the film progresses through the channel it becomes more and more sensitized and at the sametifnes comes into contact with fresher dye/solution wherebv the action ofthe dye solution throughout the entire length of the channel is rendered substantially constant.' This not, only utilizes the dyesolution to the maximum eX- tent but it renders the sen'sitization'of the film more superiorparticularly for the reason that too rapid action of the sensitizing solution on the-photographic einulsion causes the sensitization -o be irregular throughout.

the surface of the film. u

lhile Kcertain unique advantages are in- 6 cident telthe circulation of the dye in a drection opposite'to the movement of the film which are not incident to the circulation of the dye relatively. to a stationary film or relatively to a film -moving in the same directionv as the dye it will be understood that certain novel advantages pertain to the'circulation of a thin stream of dye over a film where it is stationary or moving either faster or slower than the dye, or at the same rate as the dye, in the same direction as the dye. Other advantages of the .improved apparatus will be apparent and it will also be obvious to thosel skilled in the art that many modifications of the details of operation and construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

' I claim:

1. Cinematographic film treating apparatus comprising an elongate tubular container having a transverse dimension slightly greater than the width of the film and constructed to contain liquid, and means for continuously feeding a cinematographic film inthe container at one point, thence through the container, and thence out of the cpontainer at a widely separated point along its length. i

2. Cinematographic film treating apparatus comprising a iquid container having a long narrow passageway whose transverse dimension is somewhat greater than the width of the film and whose ends are disposed above the level of the liquid therein, and rmeans for continuously feeding a. cinematographic film through'the container, from one end to the other end;

3. e method of treating photographic films comprising circulating a liquid rfin one direction through a chamberl disposed ina seriesof loops and passing a'film through the chamber in the opposite direction so that as the film progresses through the chamber it progressively comes into association with fresher liquid.

4. The method of treating photographic films comprising .circulating a liquid through an. elongate, bent container whose cross-seetional area is relatively small and passin a film through the container i'n the direction opposite to that of the circulation of liquid s'o that'the film'progressively comes into association with fresher liquid.

5. The method of treating photographic films comprising disposing a film length- Wise of an elongate chamber disposed-in a series of loops whose cross-sectional area is relatively small Vand circulating a liquid through the container so that portions of the film progressivelyeome into association with fresher liquid. u

6. The method of sensitizing photographic films comprising circulating a small stream of dye solution `along a film so that successive pori-,ions ,0f the filmare progressively acted upon by the dye solution and so that each portion of the Iilm is progressively acted upon by dye of increasing freshness.

7..The method ot sensitizing cinematographie .tilms comprising passing a film through an elongate chamber whose cross-y sectional area is relatively small, and circulating a stream of dye solution through the container in the direction opposite to the direction of film travel, the stream of dye solution being of such small volume that it is appreciably spent during passage along a film in the chamber, whereby as the film enters one end of the chamber it is first acted upon by dye of diminished activity and as it progresses through the container it is progressively acted upon by dye of greater activity.

8. The method of sen'sitizing cinematographic films comprising' passing a ilm through a small tubular chamber in one di-l rection, and circulating dye solution through the chamber in the opposite direction so that as fresh film having a relatively great affinity for .dye enters the chamber it comes into association with partially spent dye..

solution and as therfilm progresses through the chamber absorbing` dye andV losing its aiinity for dye, it comes into association with dye solution of progressively4 increasing strength, whereby the film is acted upon by the dye solution eiectively and relatively uniformly during the entlre period of its association lwith the solution.

' 9. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of an elongate liquid chamber disposed in a loop, means for circulating vliquid through the chamber in one direction, and means for longitudinally passing a strip of material through the chamber in the opposite direction.

10. In apparatus of the character described. the combination of a bent tubular liquid chamber, means for circulating liquid through the chamber in one direction, and `means for longitudinally passing a strip of material through the chamber in the opposite direction.

11. In apparatus of the character described, the combination'of a tubular liquid chamber having a bend intermediate its ends, means for circulating liquid through the chamber in vone direction, means for longitudinally' passing a strip of material through the chamber in the opposite direction, andv means at said bend to'maintain the strip out of contact with the walls of the chamber.

12. In apparatus of thecharacter de-` scribed, the combination of a` tubular liquid chamber disposed in a series of loops, means f for circulating liquid through the chamber in one direction, and means for passing a strip of material through the chamber in the '.fnpposite direction.

1.3. In apparatus ofthe character' described, the combination of a tubular liquid chamber disposed in a series of loops, means prismg guides withinthe chamber for maintaining the strip out of contact with the Walls of` the chamber during its passage therethrough.

14. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tubular liquid chamber having a sharp bend therein, and a pulley disposed at the bend with its periphery in alinement with the portions of the chamber on each side of the bend, whereby a strip of material may be.. passed throu l1 the chamber over the ulley substantial y without contacting wit the walls of the chamber.

15. Photographic apparatus for treating films comprising a casing having, spaced openings, tubular members communicating with the casing through theopenings, and a pulley journaled in said casing with its pei riphery in tangential alinement with said openings, whereby a ilm may be circulated ,through the members and over the pulley.

16. Photographic apparatus for treating s Y comprising two juxtaposed casings, pairs of tubular members extending in sub.

stantial parallelism from openings in the respective casings, and a thlrd casing disposed obliquely to the said two casings with openings communicating respectively with one of each of said pairs of tubular members.

l17. Photographic apparatus for treating lilms comprising a row of casings, each cas- 'ing-having a pair of openings in the side facing in one direction, airs of tubular other casings connecting the other ends of the tubular members, the other casings being angularly disposed with respect to the said row of casings so that each of the other casing connects with one member of one of said pairs and with one member of the next succeeding pair, whereby a continuous looped channel is formed by the 'casings and members.

18. Photographic apparatus for treating films comprlslng tworows of casings disposed in the same plane, each of the casings of one row having a pair of openings disposed in a plane approximately perpendicular to said planeand facing toward the other row of casings, tubular members extending from the 'openings toward the other row ofV casings, each of the casings of the other row havin openingsdisposed in a plane oblique to said first plane so as to commumcate with tubular members extending from adjacent casing of the first row.

19. Photographic apparatus for treat1l 1g lms comprising two rows of casings disv members extending from t e openings, and

posed in the same plane, each of the casings of one row having a pair of openings dis d in a (plane approximately perpendicuar to sai plane and facing toward the other row of casings, tubular members extending from the openings toward the other row of casings, each of the casings of the other row having o nings disposed in la. plane oblique to saide firstr plane so as to communicate with tubular members extending from adjacent casngs of the first row, and a pulley journaled in each of said casings withthe opposite sides of its periphery in alinemcnt with the openings in the casing. 20. Photographic apparatus for treating films comprismg a driving shaft, a'row of pulleys mounted in juxtaposition thereon, a

second row of pulleys disposed in the vplane v of the first row, the pulleys of the second row being disposed obliquely to the' first i'ow so that each pulley of the second row is in tangential alinement with one side of one pulley in the first row and with the other side of the next adjacent ulle-y in the first row, casin s surrounding tiie respective pulleys, and tu ular members extending betweenthe casings of the two rows in tangential alinement with said pulleys.

21. Photographic apparatus for treating films comprising a row of casings, `the casings being dis osed transversely `of the row,

a shaft exten ing through the row of cas- --ings, pulleys mounted on the shaft in the respective casings, a second row of c'asings disposed in the plane of the first row, the casings of the second row being disposed obli uely ofthe row, pulleys' idly mounted in t e casings of the second row, tubular members extending between openings in the casings of the respective rows in tangential alinement with the pulleys, the tubular members and casings forming a continuous elongate channel along which a film may be moved over said pulleys, and means for driving said shaft thereby to move the film through the elongate channel.

22. Photographic apparatus for treating films comprising a tubular conduit arranged in a series of loops, an endless belt extending through the conduit, and means for advancing the belt along the conduit.

23. Photographic apparatus for treating films comprising a tubular conduit arranged in a series of loops and having openings at its opposite ends, an endless belt extending through the conduit and thence between said openings outsideof the conduit, means for moving the belt through the-conduit in one direction, thereby to carry a -film through the conduit, and means for circulating a film conditioning fluid through the conduit in the opposite direction.

24. Photographic apparatus for treat-ing films comprising a fiat tubular member having internal dimensions `somewhat larger than a cinematographic film, the member being bowed outwardly intermediate its ends so that a film passing therethrough with its emulsion side directed outwardly will notl contact with the member on its emulsion side, and means for feeding a film therethrough.

25. Photographic apparatus for treating films comprising a flat tubular member having internal dimensions somewhat larger than a cinematographic film, the member being twisted so that one end thereof is angularly disposed relatively to the other end and being bowed outwardly intermediate its ends so that a film passing therethrough with its emulsion side directed outwardly will not contact with the member on its emulsion side, and means for feeding a film therethrough.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts.

this 24th day of April, 1922.

lWILLIAM BURTON wrisoorr, 

